While most web-hosting companies offer automated installing solutions for WordPress, you might come across situations where you want to or have to install WordPress manually. That means, instead of an automated web-based installer, you’ll use the blogging software’s own installation wizard. It allows you to install a clean version of WordPress.
But for it, you’ll first have to download WordPress from the official website, upload it to your web host using file manager or via FTP (File Transfer Protocol), extract the uploaded file and finally, start the online installation wizard. You will also have to manually set up a MySQL database.
So, here are the detailed steps for you to install WordPress Manually in any web host:
Downloading WordPress Software
Download the latest version of WordPress from the official source. You can either download the .zip or .tar.gz archive.
Uploading WordPress
Access your web host to upload the downloaded compressed files. You’ll either have to extract the archive offline and then upload it or you can extract the archive after it has been uploaded. It all depends upon what is supported by your hosting provider.
Now there are two simple ways to upload the files:
Using Online File Manager
From your control panel or hosting panel, access something called file manager. You’ll have to navigate to the exact folder for the domain or sub-domain, or you can create and open a sub-folder where you want to install WordPress.
In your file manager, you’ll find the option to upload files. What you’ll have to do is upload the .zip or .tar.gz file if your host offers decompressing the files online. If it doesn’t then you’ll have to extract the archive and then upload all the files. Uploading individual files is easier when it is done via FTP, as discussed below.
Using FTP
You can also upload the archive via FTP and then extract it using the file manager. If online extraction is not possible, then uploading an extracted archive is simple with FTP—just select and upload.
Find out the FTP (File Transfer Protocol) host, login and password. The host looks something like: ftp.yourdomain.com. These details are easily available from your hosting control panel. If you can’t find it, ask the provider.
Then, you can use free ftp clients such as FileZilla for the connection. Browse to the folder where you want to upload and then begin the file transfer.
After uploading everything, the root folder where you want to install WordPress will have the following folder and files:
wp-admin
wp-includes
wp-content
index.php
wp-activate.php
wp-blog-header.php
wp-cron.php
wp-links-opml.php
wp-load.php
wp-mail.php
wp-settings.php
wp-config.php
xmlrpc.php
Setting Up the Database
WordPress requires a MySQL database to store information such as the blog posts that you make. Use the MySQL management feature in your hosting control panel to create a database, username/password and then associate the username with the database.
Remember that you’ll have to:
- Create a database.
- Create a user. Copy the username and password.
- Associate the username with the database and give it all privileges.
Installing the Software
Once the files are uploaded and the database is set up, you will need to follow the installation wizard. The installation wizard is accessible when you try to use http to access the directory that you uploaded the files to. You’ll be automatically redirected to the installation file i.e. /setup-config.php.
Here are the steps for installation:
- Choose the language and hit Continue. Then click on Let’s go!
- Input the database connection details: Database Name, User Name and Password that you set up before.
You can leave the Database Host and Table Prefix as they are unless your host specifies a different database host. Table prefix is used if you want to have multiple WordPress or other script installation while using only one database. Press Submit when done. - If everything is correct, you’ll be able to press a button called Run the install next.
- Input the following details:
- Site Title: A title for your site.
- Username: The administrative username that you want to use for WordPress.
- Password: Admin login password, twice.
- Your Email: Admin email.
- Privacy: Leave it checked to be indexed in search engines.
You can edit these details later as well. Press Install WordPress when done.
- If everything goes well, a success message will be displayed. You’ll also receive an email confirmation in your admin email.